1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber selecting method for selecting an optical fiber through a use of an OTDR waveform measured by an OTDR system and an optical fiber inspecting system for inspecting an optical fiber.
2. Related Background Art
In order to detect the presence of anomalies within an optical fiber and examine the locations of the anomalies, the range of the anomalies, etc., and then perform the selection or inspection of the optical fiber, a method has been employed in which an OTDR (Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer) waveform due to a backscattering of pulsed light beams is measured to detect the presence of anomalies within an optical fiber. The above-described method for a detection is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-332530 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H9-269279.
In the method for examining an anomaly within an optical fiber through a use of an OTDR waveform, an optical fiber to be examined is connected to an OTDR system and pulsed light beams are inputted to the optical fiber. Then, the power of light beams that are backscattered at the individual locations along the optical fiber and then returned to the OTDR system is detected and then an anomaly within the optical fiber is determined through a use of the waveform (OTDR waveform) in the time domain. The light beams returned to the OTDR system correspond to a loss of the light beams at the individual locations along the optical fiber and therefore, anomalies within an optical fiber can be evaluated based on anomaly points on the waveform.